FILE-In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, file photo, federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference in Washington. No major announcements are expected when the Fed's latest two-day policy meeting ends Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012. Instead, officials will likely affirm their plan to buy mortgage bonds as long as necessary to make home buying more affordable, keep short-term interest rates at record lows through mid-2015 and take other stimulative steps if hiring (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta. File)